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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The family and friends of admired conservationist |
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and river advocate Sky Marshal Jones-Lewey suffered an immeasurable |
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loss with her death on May 31, 2022, at the age of 64; and |
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WHEREAS, Sky Jones-Lewey was born to Marjory Helen Scott |
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Jones and Elmo King Jones on May 26, 1958, in Uvalde; from an early |
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age, she dedicated herself to the preservation of natural |
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resources, particularly the Nueces River, which ran alongside her |
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family's property, the Open V Ranch; and |
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WHEREAS, For more than two decades, Ms. Jones-Lewey served as |
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the resource protection and education director for the Nueces River |
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Authority, an organization that works to preserve, protect, and |
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develop surface water resources across some 15,000 square miles of |
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South Texas; along the way, she led wide-reaching efforts to |
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control invasive plants and protect water quality and spearheaded |
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such award-winning initiatives as the Up2U Litter Prevention |
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Campaign, the Watershed Stewardship Education Program, and the |
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Riparian Landowners Network curriculum; and |
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WHEREAS, Ms. Jones-Lewey's other worthy endeavors included |
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championing legislation to prevent direct wastewater discharges |
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into the remaining pristine streams of Texas, and she was |
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instrumental in the passage of Senate Bill 155, which prohibits the |
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use of motorized vehicles in navigable rivers; she was also |
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involved in educating others about the need for river protection, |
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and she published several editorials and helped edit a number of |
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field guides on how to be a better steward of land and water |
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resources; in 2022, she was honored as a River Hero by the River |
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Network for her efforts to protect and restore local waterways; and |
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WHEREAS, Sky Jones-Lewey lived a rich and purposeful life |
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devoted to conserving the natural splendor of Texas, and her |
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passion and commitment will forever inspire all those who knew and |
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loved her; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Sky Marshal |
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Jones-Lewey and extend sincere condolences to the members of her |
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family: to Jefferson and Cherie Lewey; to Julie and Liia Lewey; to |
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her grandchildren, Jack Mathis and Sonora Sky; to her many friends |
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and colleagues; and to all others who mourn her passing; and, be it |
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further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for her family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Sky |
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Jones-Lewey. |